The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries today reaffirmed its commitment to stronger animal health systems and disease surveillance at the unveiling of the One Health Molecular Epidemiology and Genomics (EDGe) Centre. Senator the Honourable Ravi Ratiram, Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, attended the ceremony at the Arthur Lok Jack Global School of Business.
The EDGe Centre is a joint initiative of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries and the Ministry of Health. It is being established under the TT ONE LAB+ project with financing from the Pandemic Fund, and is guided by the One Health approach, which recognises the links between human, animal and environmental health.
The Centre will strengthen Trinidad and Tobago’s ability to detect, investigate and respond to emerging disease threats through improved laboratory diagnostics, genomic surveillance and epidemiological analysis. It will also position the country as a regional
hub for veterinary diagnostics, disease surveillance and scientific training, boosting the Caribbean’s collective preparedness.
The project will establish a modern Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, including a dedicated rabies laboratory and an antimicrobial resistance surveillance programme. It will also improve coordination among the Trinidad Public Health Laboratory, the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory and The University of the West Indies (UWI) through shared governance and common data systems, so that the country can respond to health threats faster and in a more integrated way.
In his remarks, Minister Ratiram highlighted the Centre’s role in improving how the country detects and analyses disease threats: “Today, we are not simply unveiling a centre. We are strengthening our ability to see threats earlier, understand them more accurately and respond more effectively.”
Dr. the Honourable Lackram Bodoe, Minister of Health, echoed these sentiments and stressed the significance of the collaboration between the two ministries.
Other speakers included Professor Rose-Marie Belle Antoine, Pro Vice-Chancellor and Campus Principal, The UWI St. Augustine Campus, along with other representatives, and Dr. Gabriel Vivas Francesconi, PAHO/WHO Representative for Trinidad and Tobago and the Dutch Caribbean.
Professor Christine Carrington, Director of the EDGe Centre, and Professor Christopher Oura, Training Coordinator of the PANPRO Fellowship Programme, introduced the Centre and its work.
The unveiling highlights the value of sustained collaboration, scientific investment and coordinated action in protecting animal and public health. The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries remains committed to building a more resilient animal health sector through improved surveillance, stronger diagnostic capabilities and closer partnership
